NEVER IN THE FIGHT

YOU MAY OFTEN FOOL YOURSELF

AND THINK EVERYTHING IS FINE

THEN IT SLOWLY DAWNS ON YOU

SOMEONE HAS CROSSED THE LINE

WHATEVER WAS THE PROBLEM

YOU MAY NEVER KNOW

ONE OF THOSE SAD MEMORIES

WHEN A FRIEND TURNS OUT YOUR FOE

 

YOU DON’T GET AN ANSWER

WHEN YOU TRY AND COMMUNICATE

ONLY THEN YOU REALIZE

YOU’VE LEFT IT ALL TOO LATE

NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY

ALL ATTEMPTS SEEM IN VAIN

FIFTY YEARS OF MATESHIP

HAVE JUST GONE DOWN THE DRAIN

 

TIME DOES NOT HEAL ALL WOUNDS

NO MATTER WHAT SAGES SAY

THE ANX AND THE SUFFERING LEFT BEHIND

ARE STILL AS FRESH TODAY

MANKINDS INHUMANITY

THE CAUSE OF ALL OUR WARS

HEART RATE AND TEARS 

WHATEVER WAS THE CAUSE

 

MY TRAINING IN THE MILITARY

TAUGHT ME LIFETIME SKILLS

HOW TO AVOID THE CURSES

OF HATE AND MENTAL ILLS

I HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY

AND I KNOW THAT IT IS RIGHT

YOU CANNOT GET SHOT DOWN

IF YOU WERE NEVER IN THE FIGHT

 

BY THOMAS ‘PADDY’ HAMILTON
26 March 2024

 

 

FILE PHOTO: Vietnam. 1966-11-28. Private Ken Wallace of Mitchelton, Brisbane, Qld, keeps a sharp watch as his mates in the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), advance along a jungle track during Operation Ingham. Australian War Memorial file number CUN/66/0932/VN

Read more about the photographer Bill Cunneen here.

 

 

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